President Trump on Friday announced his intention to nominate Kenneth “Chuck” Canterbury Jr., president of the National Fraternal Order of Police and an opponent of disclosing “trace” data on firearms, to head the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Mr. Canterbury, of South Carolina, has worked as president of the National FOP since 2003 and has served on its executive board for more than two decades.
He also has been an outspoken opponent of efforts by gun-control advocates such as Michael Bloomberg to gain access to confidential law-enforcement data on firearms traces, for use in lawsuits against the firearms industry and for research. The ATF compiles the records when tracing firearms in response to requests from other law-enforcement agencies.
Mr. Canterbury earned the rank of major in the Horry County Police Department in Conway, South Carolina, after 26 years in the patrol division, criminal division and training division. He has also been inducted into the South Carolina Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.
He is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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